Long Live
by FidusEtFortiter
Summary: A oneshot loosely based on the song "Long Live" by Taylor Swift. The Golden Trio is asked to give their thoughts on their fame a few years after they defeated Voldemort at the annual Victory Ball. Tempers rise and well kept secrets are revealed. /Language


**Authors Note:** Previously Cherie26. Here's my new oneshot loosely based on the song "Long Live" by Taylor Swift. I got the idea while listening to the song. I hope you enjoy. :)

**Disclaimer:** I'm sadly not J.K. Rowling and don't have millions of dollars so the Harry Potter series is not mine. Neither am I a curly, blonde hair country/pop singer. Unfortunately. :'(

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><p><strong>Long Live<strong>

"I still remember this moment, from the first Victory Ball. Everyday it's in the back of my mind. We were holding hands; Harry in the middle and Ron and I on either side of him. We were shaking so, so bad. We walked into the Great Hall, and the crowds went wild. We were their Kings and Queen. As they read our names off and presented us each the Order of Merlin, First Class, we felt euphoric. That night we danced like we knew our lives would never be the same. I mean war changes people; defeating Voldemort, changes people. Somehow we became stars overnight and I don't think we'll ever get used to the fame we have now."

Hermione looked out at the crowd and saw thousands of eyes on her as she read off her speech. Some were smiling at her, others were crying. Most were watching with an interest. They had never heard the Golden Trio's opinions of the fame, and tonight they were. Hermione looked out at the faces and recognized some. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy were in the corner trying to clean up the reputation that Lucius had tarnished. Hermione and Draco had become friends of sorts so she gave him a small smile then let her eyes wander again. Next her eyes landed on Neville. He looked so lost. He was heartbroken after the war. He had no family left. But he had found Luna and love is all anyone could ask for. Luna was next to Neville and she looked as heavenly as could be. She was holding his hand and tracing the lines on his palm. Hermione grazed the crowd quickly, embarrassed that she had stared at such an intimate gesture for so long. Somehow her eyes landed back on Draco and she blushed. He raised his eyebrows but smiled at her in return. Hermione looked at Harry now, "Harry, I just wanted to say you held your head like a hero for the entire time that you were battling Voldemort. You are going to be duly noted in history books Harry Potter; you deserve to be with the best of the best.

"We ended it everyone. Each and every single one of us ended this second wizarding war that almost took a decade. It was the beginning of a new age, so we'll toast to that, shall we!" As she finished her speech and raised her glass she noticed that Slytherins had come as well. Blaise, Theo, and Pansy had all changed and for that she was grateful because Draco could surely have used some friends from his own house that weren't in Azkaban. They all needed redemption and tonight they were getting it.

Hermione left the stage with a thunderous applause in her wake. She reminded Ron to use Sonorus as she passed him by to which he grunted at and rolled his eyes teasingly.

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><p>Ron came up to the stand with shouts of the song "Weasley is our King" ringing in his ears. He had never been more grateful to Draco Malfoy then he was at that moment. He smirked in the general direction of the ferret and he didn't miss the eye roll that he got back. "Ahem...AHEM, alright you lot, calm down would ya?" Gradually the noise lessened and he began with his speech. "So you all probably know how I'm not so good at writing and stuff. I'm not exactly the brains of the family; I leave that job title to Percy."<p>

"Don't we know it Ronnikens!" George called. Everyone had a good laugh at Ron's expense but he didn't mind. It was in good nature and George was finally coming out of the empty shell that he had been walking in for the past few years. He wasn't going to cause him to be withdrawn again. Fred's death had hit him the hardest and by God if anyone took away his personality again, Ron would certainly Avada them on the spot.

"Very funny George!" He called out with a chuckle. "Anyways, I'm not so good at writing so that's why I enlisted Hermione's help. She didn't write the speech but she gave me an idea of what to say to you lot that would help you understand.

"Hermione, Harry and I met in our first year of Hogwarts courtesy of a troll. That was our first run in with Voldemort. Not the troll but that year. Every year the danger would get worse and worse. The danger lasted for seven years. I guess it'll never really be gone though will it? Not with Death Eaters, no matter how small the numbers are, still around. I plan to catch every single one of them though. No one will be forced to live through that again. I promise." Ron ended the sentence passionately and waited for the cheering to die down before he started again.

"A few days ago all three of us got together to go over our speeches. We hadn't had time to ourselves in so long. This was a rare treat and do you know what we did? We went over the war for the first time. We went over the best and worse seven years of our lives. I asked them, remember this feeling? While I was handing out pictures I had saved from when we were in our first few years of Hogwarts. We all said we remembered. How could we not? It was like we were waiting on the sidelines while we were in the midst of it all, you know" He looked and saw a bunch of confused faces. "I guess I'm not so good at explaining." Ron shuffled his feet a bit and looked up at Hermione and Harry. They each gave him a small smile and encouraged him to go on.

"Uhm, even though we were the 'keys' to defeating Voldemort we were really still young kids. I mean one of us almost died every single year. We dragged our families and friends into a war that no one should have been a part of. _We were children_. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that we kept wishing for it to be over. We kept wishing for this day when we can tell you how much pressure was on us. We kept wishing until you could understand. We didn't have a choice. We had to risk our lives for the greater good. That's the kind of thing that you agree to when you become friends with the Chosen One." He said with a chuckle. If it hadn't been for that joke he might've gotten even angrier. His fists were already clenched. He continued though. He had to get this out.

"Like Mione said, we were your Kings and Queen for awhile. We traded our baseball caps, ballerina slippers and teddy bears for crowns. For you. We did it for you. It was worth it though. We won. When we told them Voldemort was defeated, our world was starting to get safer.

"Death eaters were cynics though. They were outraged. Screaming and fighting. They thought it was absurd because a group of kids had defeated their leader. There we were the three of us, in ripped up jeans announcing that Voldemort was defeated and telling people what to do; telling Death Eaters to give up. They had lost. They didn't take that too well. That's why we have the best aurors on it. We'll get them and you'll never have to live in fear again. No one will live in fear again as long as Ron Weasley is around!" He ended his speech and looked out at the cheering faces in the crowd. Each and every single one of them had been affected by the war and he promised every single day to no one is particular that he would get all of those slimy bastards. Unclenching his fists and forcing a grin, he walked off with bitter voices still ringing in his subconscious.

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><p>As Harry walked onto the stage, his welcome was different from the others. Everyone was quiet and watching his every move. They knew he had a strong opinion of the fame he had received. They were ready to hear it, just as he was ready to share it. "Let's take a moment shall we? There's something that's going to happen in your mind. It's a memory. Hermione created a spell that allows memories to be shared without a pensieve. You will feel every emotion, hear every thought and experience what it was like the moment I killed Voldemort. If you don't think you're ready please go outside into the hall. We'll call you back when we're done." No one got up. He thought as much. Everyone wanted to know what it was like to be the great Harry Potter. Well they would know soon enough. "Okay. You probably thought it was all confetti falling to the ground but everything was spinning around and this memory, I want it to break and fall out of my head but it'll always be there." He closed his eyes and whispered the spell.<p>

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

"_EXPELLIARMUS!" _

_Red was hitting green. The power was enormous. The Elder Wand was mine, and so was the Hawthorne Wand in my hand. I had control over this entire situation. They didn't specifically choose me but they worked for me and nobody else. Voldemort would never win. 'But what if he does?' A voice whispered. My hand nearly slipped. I fumbled a little with my grip. He could've won there. _

_Everything was on a fine line. If I kept having thoughts like that, I would slip up. I would die. Reality hit. He could win if I lose concentration. He could overpower me if I start to give up. Not panicking is the hardest part. If I panicked, most of my energy would go into panicking and trying to keep calm. My stomach has butterflies. I need this to end. _

_He can't win. All those people who fought with me to the end and beyond, everyone who I used as a 'shield'; they would suffer if he won. He can't win. He CAN'T win. "YOU CAN'T WIN!" I felt all of my power go into those words. Into my wand. Into my spell._

_I was going to drop. I wanted to drop to the ground, curl up in a ball and cry. I couldn't though. I made it this far. I had to see him die. _

_It happened so fast. The red was overpowering the green and all of a sudden it consumed him and his curse. I could make out the outline of Voldemort. He disappeared like all of the other horcruxes; I guess because he was the last piece of his soul, he had to dissipate like the others. Once he was gone, his cloak and the Elder Wand dropped to the ground. _

_My knees hit the ground but I didn't register any pain. Something blue hit my chest but I can't be bothered enough to care. I know the war is still going on around me. Death Eaters have to be caught but all I can think of is: It's over. It's all over. Voldemort is gone. I put my head in my hands and started to cry. 17 years of pain, destruction, heartache, and tiredness came out with my tears. I want to scream. I cast a silenco. I scream until my throat is hoarse, until I've let everything out. I receive a headache but it was worth it. Everything was worth it to keep the wizarding world safe; I just wish we didn't have to lose so much. _

Audible gasps came from all around the great hall. People were whispering. Everyone knew what that blue spell meant. He was glad he didn't have to tell anyone though. They now knew for themselves. He felt bad for not telling Hermione and Ron before the ball though. He couldn't even bare to look at them.

Everyone was crying. 'Good' Harry thought. They finally realize how much we went through. Clearing his throat he looked up, "I know that was a lot to take in. But I just wanted to show you what we dealt with every single day. We all dealt with pain but did you have pressure along with? I was the Chosen One, but Hermione, Ron and I were a team. We were the Chosen Team. But we weren't really Chosen were we? We didn't have a choice; you guys didn't have a choice. We had to do it for the sake of the wizarding world. I had to lose my parents before I was even old enough to talk. Ron had to lose his brother, Fred. Hermione had to lose her parents. We'll never see any of them again. Who knows? They may have died without us being so involved in this war, but we can't help but feel a little bitter, I guess.

"I know everyone lost loved ones, but most of you lot didn't know about Voldemort for a few years. You had peace and bliss for a few years. We, we knew from the very beginning but nobody believed us. Think of people like us and the Malfoy's the people who knew what was going on, the people who were scared shitless. Ron, Hermione and I might've been Gryffindors but that doesn't always mean we are brave 24/7. The Malfoy's are Slytherins and supposedly 'evil'. You know what they went through, they are from evil. We were all just forced to do what we apparently 'know' best. Do you think I remember anything that happened when I got this scar? Do you think I know why I survived the killing curse? I'm not a superhuman. I'm me. I'm Harry. I'm mortal.

"Today we are supposed to take to you about how we feel about this fame, it is too much. I know you are all grateful but do you know how hard it is to constantly keep up a reputation of being the 'boy-who-lived-twice'? It's like people think I'm invincible. That blue spell that hit me proves I'm not. I'm still a human like you. I still break down. I broke down before, during and after the war. I don't have an unlimited amount of strength." He wiped a lone tear away. "You wanted our opinions of the fame, and this is mine. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but I need rest. Please just let us rest. I'm happy with signing things and taking pictures but just don't idolize me and want to be me because being me would mean living through seven years of hell well trying to defeat someone who was two generations older than you. It's not the perfect life. Trust me, I've lived it." He smiled a bit to release the tension. It seemed to work. "Do you guys understand what I'm saying?" He asked nervously. Most of the crowd nodded. That was good enough for him.

"Thank you guys. I hope you never have to go through hurt and pain again." The crowd stared at him for a few seconds and then slowly, one by one, they started to stand up and gave him a thunderous applause. He stood there for a few minutes and allowed his glory to finally catch up with him. He understood now too. He was important to them because he gave them hope during those years. He smiled, he was content. It was a perfect way to go.

When the applause died down he started to speak again, "I just wanted to say something else to Hermione and Ron." He looked over at them and beckoned them over. Ron let go of Lavender and climbed the stairs to the stage. Hermione touched Draco's arm and told him she'd be back then she started to make her way onto the stage. "You guys are the most important people in this world to me. Thank you for everything you have done. I'll never be able to repay you. Hermione you were our brains. Ron you were our heart. I'll love you forever. Promise me something guys?" They nodded and both tried to hide their tears. "Stand by me forever. If God forbid anything should happen, and fate should decide that we have to say goodbye, please promise me if you have children you'll show them pictures of me. Please tell them my name. Tell them how the crowds went wild. Credit yourself. Tell them how I hope they shine." He looked at Hermione and Ron and find that they were gobsmacked. Hermione was about to say something but he beat her to it. He had to finish otherwise he'd never be able to tell them.

"I don't have much time, so long live everyone here. Long live Hogwarts walls, the walls we crashed through to create a better life. All of Hogwarts shines for me and you guys tonight. Long live the magic we've made! Bring it on God, I'm not afraid." The last part he whispered but he knew Hermione and Ron had heard. "Long live the mountains we moved! Ron, Hermione, I've had the time of my life fighting with you even though it was the worst years, I'm just glad I got to spend them with you." He ended with a smile. Everyone started to clap again and as he looked towards Hermione and Ron he felt his legs give way.

They ran his way and caught him. "And long, long live the look on your faces when we did it. When we one. One day we'll be remembered." He whispered before he fell unconscious. The last thing he felt was Hermione kissing him on the cheek and Ron grasping his hand telling him to hold on. He couldn't though. It was time to let go. It was time to leave. His mum and dad were calling. It was time to go home. He did his job, now all he wanted to do was rest.

'Long live' he thought, 'long live our legacies'.

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><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> I know I haven't published a new story for awhile but school's been really busy. I just hope to get some bigger stuff out there soon!

Thank you for reading. I appreciate it so much. Please tell me what you think! :)


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